Accounting Apps Podcast| formerly Cloud Stories | Accounting Technology Heather Smith | Accountant & Storyteller

Today I’m speaking with Sarah Lawrance, Founder & CEO of Hot Toast. In this episode, we talk about . . .
- Sarah Lawrance shares her journey from childhood fascination with business to becoming a Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA) and founding her firm Hot Toast
- Lawrance discusses her formative career experiences in Australia, London and fast-growth startups, and the inspiration for starting her own business
- Sarah describes her role as a CFO for rapidly growing businesses, helping clients scale through advisory services, reporting, and finance team development
- Sarah integrates technologies like G-Accon and SYFT to deliver data insights, and sees opportunities in AI and machine learning
"I'm a big fan of G-Accon. I really love that tool. It's such a beautiful little connector that we pull lots of data out. We use it with Google Sheets. The creatives love Google Sheets, and they love zeros. So to be able to just link those two up and then kind of manipulate those into our own kind of models is a massive win for us."

- When she could not find an age appropriate soccer club, she started her own women's soccer team. The team has since expanded to over 100 members in the eastern suburbs of Sydney.- Frustrated by a lack of female board opportunities she co-founded the Global Women's Accounting Influencers community
- The conversation covers mentoring the next generation, leveraging networks, and the power of community in the accounting industry
 
Contact details:
Sarah Lawrance https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-lawrance-fcpa-83894516/
Hot Toast : https://hottoast.com.au/ 
Accounting Apps newsletter: http://HeatherSmithAU.COM
Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/ 
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting 
X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU 

- Heather Smith moderates a debate between accounting software pioneer Michael Wood and tech strategist John Toon on the pros and cons of Excel vs Software
- Michael argues that while Excel excels for individual tasks, software is better suited for collaboration and building efficient workflows for businesses
- John counters that users, not the tools, are often to blame for Excel's downfalls, and that Excel can effectively replace basic accounting tasks for some clients 
- The debate weighs the impact of tools on practice efficiency, profitability, and eventual sale value, with both sides acknowledging Excel's enduring relevance alongside advancing software
- Listeners are polled on the winning side to much debate, highlighting the complexities of choosing the right tools for each accounting need
Michael Wood https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwood/ 
https://www.translucent.io/ 
 
John Toon https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntoon/ 
Podcast https://digitoolsinaccrual.world/ 
Community https://www.digital-disruptors.com/ 
Beever and Struthers https://www.beeverstruthers.co.uk/ 
Contact details:
Accounting Apps newsletter: http://HeatherSmithAU.COM
Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/ 
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting 
X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU 
 

Today I’m debating Samuel Green, UK Partnership Account Executive of Employment Hero on AI vs the human touch in accounting at the Festival of Accountants and Bookkeepers
- Smith argues the human touch is crucial for customer service and empathy while Greene emphasises AI's potential for efficiency and insights  
- Both agree AI can streamline repetitive tasks but human oversight is still needed
- Attendees question how AI will evolve and what to consider when choosing software
- Smith encourages evaluating long-term roadmaps and support while Greene discusses AI use cases at Employment Hero
- They find consensus that selective AI use can enhance but not replace the human experience in client relationships
Write up from the debate
AI and the case for the human touch
https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/tech/accounting-software/ai-and-the-case-for-the-human-touch 
 
Samuel Green https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelgreen14/
https://employmenthero.com/
Contact details:
Accounting Apps newsletter: http://HeatherSmithAU.COM
Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/ 
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting 
X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU 

Heather Smith shares interviews from the Festival of Accountants and Bookkeepers in Birmingham, including conversations about launching a UK version of XBert, the funding journey of a founder, updates on Sage products, and Richard Sergeant's advice for vendors. Insights cover compliance, automation, growth and more.
- Interview with Will Rush  - GM(UK) for XBert discussing launching their platform in the UK
- Conversation with Lucy Cohen - Co-founder and CEO of Mazuma, about starting her business and her recent funding journey (Featuring Alex Falcon Huerta)
- Updates on BrightPay payroll from Donal Carr - Senior Account Executive Bright Software
- Overview of Sage's offerings for accountants from Chris Downing - Director of Product Marketing | Accountants and Bookkeepers Sage
- Richard Sergeant - Managing Director Principle Point shares tips for vendors working with accountants
- Mark Lee Facilitator BookMarkLee.co.uk 
Contact details:
Accounting Apps newsletter: http://HeatherSmithAU.COM
Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/ 
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting 
X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU 
 

Today I’m sharing with you a webinar I hosted on behalf of Projectworks and WorkGuru that provides an overview of alternatives to WorkflowMax by Xero as it reaches end of life 26 June 2024.
The panellists who joined me were:
Heidi Seal Ops Consultant at Business Sense (NZ) Matthew Peng Founder at Business Continuum Matt Hayter Co-Founder at Projectworks Tony Harcourt Co-Founder at WorkGuru The panellists discussed the triggers for change, comparing features of the two solutions. They explored how each platform caters to different industries. The expert implementers shared case studies of successful migrations, highlighting challenges and opportunities clients faced. The presentation covered developing a migration strategy, including exporting data, mapping business processes, and change management. Attendees learned about assessing potential solutions by considering key questions, desired outcomes, and post go-live improvements. The session emphasised preparing early by testing new platforms and leveraging experienced partners for a smooth transition. Overall, the webinar helped attendees understand options for transitioning away from WorkflowMax by Xero to Projectworks or WorkGuru.
 
The Flow of the webinar
Understanding the Transition Trigger for Change Market Reaction Comparative Overview of Solutions Common Features Target Industries Points of Difference Deep Dive into Migration Migration Strategy Case Studies Assessing Solutions Preparation for Transition  Relevant links
 Heidi Seal Ops Consultant at Business Sense (NZ)
L: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiseal/  
E: Heidi@BusinessSense.co.nz
B: https://businesssenseconsulting.co.nz/ 
 Heidi Seal Resources
The WorkflowMax Changeover Workshop : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P7arD82_9YSyW26ekE6ryY6bSR4Z1EQf/view 
The 7-step process for implementation success : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Q_nif1fqgCcXfu8o90JhtXscvBhG5CQl/view
Matthew Peng Founder at Business Continuum
L: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-peng/ 
E : Matthew@BusinessContinuum.com.au 
B: https://businesscontinuum.com.au/ 
 
Matt Hayter Co-Founder at Projectworks
L: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-hayter-9180037/ 
B: https://projectworks.io/ 
 
Tony Harcourt Co-Founder at WorkGuru
L: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-harcourt/ 
B: https://workguru.io/ 
 
Tony Harcourt Resources
Migrating from WoFM to WorkGuru Overview : https://support.workguru.io/support/solutions/articles/43000698451-migrating-from-workflowmax-to-workguru-overview  
WFM to WorkGuru One-Click Migration Tool : https://support.workguru.io/support/solutions/articles/43000699631-wfm-to-workguru-one-click-migration-tool 
Support Solutions Hub : https://support.workguru.io/support/home
Contact details:
Accounting Apps newsletter: http://HeatherSmithAU.COM
Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/ 
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting 
X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU 
 

Tyler Caskey, Partner at The Bean Counters joins me in this episode. Here are five interesting insights we talk about in the show:
1. Live Banking and Direct Digital Receipting: Tools like Weel and Airwallex enable real-time banking transactions, while solutions like Slyp and Tyro streamline payment processes by sending receipt details directly to accounting systems, reducing manual data entry.
2. Global Banking Solutions: Digital technology solutions like Airwallex, OFX, Paytron, and Wise facilitate international transactions with ease, offering competitive rates and near real-time transfers and bill payments in multiple currencies.
3. Google's Updates: Google is removing underutilised features across Android, including some related to voice controls, and shutting down its podcast app in favour of integrating podcasts into YouTube Music. This shift intrigued the author, who recently upgraded their device.
4. Updates in the Reporting Space: Various accounting software solutions have introduced updates, such as Calxa's unlinked accounts feature for cash flow forecasting, Fathom's improved KPI library experience, and G-Accon's introduction of automatic workflows within Google Sheets.
5. Xero's Invoices Changes: Xero is retiring classic invoicing in September 2024, prompting concerns from the community about missing features, like the ability to process an overpayment, inability to edit exchange rates, and inability to invoice bulk contact groups.  However, you can quickly switch back if you need features only currently available within classic invoicing.
These insights highlight the ongoing technological advancements and changes within the accounting industry, offering both opportunities and challenges for practitioners and stakeholders alike. 
Contact details:
Tyler Caskey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylercaskey/ 
Accounting Apps newsletter: http://HeatherSmithAU.COM
Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/ 
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting 
X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU